MLB.com's Carrie Muskat has been covering Major League Baseball since 1981 and is the author of "Banks to Sandberg to Grace: Five Decades of Love and Frustration with the Cubs." You can follow her on Twitter @CarrieMuskat. Here, she blogs about the Cubs.

Results tagged ‘ Alex Burnett ’

The Cubs shuffled their bullpen Thursday, promoting right-hander Zach Putnam from Triple-A Iowa and optioning right-hander Alex Burnett to the Minor League team. To make room on the 40-man roster, Kyuji Fujikawa, who needs Tommy John surgery on his right elbow, was transferred to the 60-day disabled list.

Putnam was 1-1 with four saves and a 3.26 ERA in 17 games with Iowa. He had 22 strikeouts over 19 1/3 innings. The right-hander, whom the Cubs claimed off waivers from the Rockies, was one of the last players cut in Spring Training. He appeared in 11 Cactus League games, and gave up four runs on 14 hits over 10 innings while striking out six. He and Blake Parker were sharing the closer’s role at Iowa.

“I’ve always loved pitching in the back of the bullpen,” Putnam said.

Burnett was claimed off waivers from the Orioles and arrived about a half hour before the Cubs’ Interleague game against the White Sox. He made his first appearance Wednesday, and gave up one hit in one inning.

* Kyuji Fujikawa underwent an MRI on his right arm Tuesday but the team did not expect results until Wednesday because their orthopedic specialist, Dr. Stephen Gryzlo, was busy with surgeries. Fujikawa was placed on the 15-day disabled list Monday for the second time this season with a strained right forearm. The right-hander, who was on the DL from April 13 to May 10 with the same problem, had to leave Sunday’s game in the ninth inning after feeling some discomfort. The right-hander has a 5.25 ERA in 12 games this season, giving up seven runs over 12 innings.

* On Tuesday, the Cubs erected mock-ups of the proposed advertising signage in right field and used tarps to represent the 6,000-square foot video screen they want to install in left field. Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts watched from a rooftop on Sheffield Avenue. The Cubs are waiting for final approval from the city planning commission on their $300 million renovation plan for Wrigley Field, which they hope to start this offseason. The proposal includes installing the scoreboard in left and more advertising in right.

* Several of the Cubs plan on attending Wednesday’s Game 7 NHL playoff game between the Blackhawks and Red Wings in Chicago.

“There aren’t too many times a Game 7 comes around, especially being in town at the same time playing a day game,” Cubs manager Dale Sveum said. “You have to do everything you can to go to that game.”

* Cubs wives and girlfriends will do their part to help raise funds for victims of the Oklahoma tornadoes at Wednesday’s game at Wrigley Field. Outfielder David DeJesus and his wife, Kim, are involved in a “mystery ball” event. Tickets are $40 per ball, and all proceeds will go to the families affected by the deadly storm.

Cubs players also will serve as celebrity bartenders on Friday at “American Junkie” in Chicago as part of the “Pour for Moore” fundraiser to support disaster relief. All proceeds will go to the American Red Cross. Tickets are $15 per person for the event, which will run from 6-8 p.m. CT.

* Albert Almora was named Midwest League Player of the Week for May 20-26. The Cubs’ first-round pick in last year’s Draft, Almora batted .538 in his first week with the team. He had to leave Monday’s game with a strained left hamstring, injured while trying to track down a ball in the outfield. His status was day to day. After Monday’s game, Almora tweeted: “No worries! I’ll be back in a day or 2!! Good win boys!!! #slaphands”

* Alex Burnett certainly had an easy first day on the job with the Cubs on Monday. The right-handed reliever, claimed off waivers from the Orioles, arrived at U.S. Cellular Field about half an hour before the first pitch of the Cubs’ Interleague game against the White Sox. He could relax as Jeff Samardzija threw a complete game, two-hit shutout. Burnett, 25, was happy to get a chance to pitch. He appeared in two games with the Orioles this season after spending three years with the Twins.

“I was excited,” he said about his reaction at the news he had been claimed by the Cubs. “It’s a new opportunity and I’m in a great organization and a fresh start and they told me I was coming straight to the big leagues, and nothing better than that.”

Burnett, who knows a couple of the Cubs from the Arizona Fall League, was asked for a scouting report on himself.

“I just go right after guys and let the defense do the work and that’s what I live and die by,” he said.

* Arodys Vizcaino, on the 60-day disabled list rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, underwent an arthroscopic debridement on his right elbow. Vizcaino was feeling some discomfort after his throwing sessions and not recovering well, so he was examined by Dr. James Andrews, who found a calcium buildup and did the procedure. The problem is not related to the Tommy John surgery Vizcaino had, and the Cubs say Andrews found the ligaments were in good shape. The right-hander, who the Cubs acquired at the Trade Deadline last July from the Braves in the Paul Maholm deal, will not pick up a baseball for six weeks.

The Cubs claimed right-handed reliever Alex Burnett from the Orioles on Monday and he was expected to join the team to replace Kyuji Fujikawa, who was likely to be placed on the disabled list. Fujikawa had to leave Sunday’s game because of soreness in his right forearm.

Burnett, 25, had appeared in two games with the Orioles this season, giving up three runs on four hits and two walks over 1 1/3 innings. The right-hander made a career-high 67 relief appearances for the Twins last season, going 4-4 with 10 holds and a 3.52 ERA. He led the club in relief innings and his 2.49 ERA prior to the All-Star break ranked fourth among American League relievers.

This season, Burnett was 1-0 with a 1.50 ERA in nine Minor League relief appearances between Triple-A Buffalo and Triple-A Norfolk. He made two relief appearances for Baltimore this month, totaling 1.1 innings, before he was designated for assignment on May 23.

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